


SOULS ENTANGLED

by YUSEONGS



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, BaekYeol - Freeform, Canon Gay Character, ChanBaek - Freeform, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Gay, Grim Reapers, Inspired by Goblin (K-drama), M/M, Mentioned Oh Sehun, PARK CHANYEOL IS A GRIM REAPER AYE, Reincarnation, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, baekhyuns just a ghost lmao, chanyeol x baekhyun - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-24 22:35:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16649165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YUSEONGS/pseuds/YUSEONGS
Summary: in which chanyeol is a grim reaper and baekhyun is a lost soul to be collected.- also available on wattpad- © skye 2018





	1. YELLOW ZINNIA

THE GRIM REAPER  
AESTHETIC

by park chanyeol

 

good day! if you're reading this, it must mean you're new to this job of being a grim reaper! i'm the high-ranking grim reaper in charge of your sorry ass, the ever amazing, park chanyeol!

since talking is fucking tiring, i will be writing a few things you should know!

 

1.)  **you have no memories of your past life**  and if you do or if some fragments come back, it means the nearest diety/god in your area likes to mess with you.

warning: they will use the excuse that it's 'fate' and that it's the course of destiny but that's bullshit and you can't do anything about it since they're dieties so suck it up.

 

2.) grim reapers are rooted from the fact that  **you committed**   **suicide**. if you don't like this job, you may be directed towards the gate of hell. no one will tell you how and why you did it. ( everyone cries when i get to this part so pls don't )

oOOoHH am i human? am i a spirit? yOU're neither. you're some physical entity called a grim reaper that's sorta like a human but deals with death i guess and is given sum magical shit idk, honestly.

 

3.)  **wake up at 4 am and wear all black**. i don't care what gender you are, use slacks and a black shirt. no one wants to die and be greeted by someone wearing coachella clothes or a leotard.

(also btw, y'all get this ugly ass fedora/hat that makes you invisible to humans so like pls wear it at all times even if you think like it's a fashion catastrophe. dude, i don't care.)

 

4.) you will  **recieve a list of names of souls with the time and place they will die so be there** to accompany them to judgement room.

(note : sometimes,  **the list isn't always correct**  so if in some random case it's wrong, the names will disappear. you will get annoyed but again, hey no one cares lmao. )

 

5.) you see the soul/s? you will accompany a  **maximum no. of two souls**  in a room we call judgement room.

how will you accompany them if they might not want to go with you, you ask? i don't know, find a way. that's not my problem.

 

6.)  **give them a cup of tea that erases their memories**.

just mix the tea bag with hot water. iT'S EASY SO I SWEAR IF YOU MESS THIS UP-

if that's done, tell them to go through a door that either leads them to reincarnation or hell.

note: there will be cases of lost souls or as humans call them, 'ghosts' and they would basically run the fuck outta judgement room and frolic around. they mess up your paperwork and waste your time.

also, you can't force them to go with you. they just come around on their own.

 

7.) did you make sure the soul went through the door of either reincarnation or hell? good!  **now mark them as 'complete'** and if the soul is a lost soul / ran away, they remain incomplete unless they walk through that door.

 

8.) you will get off this job when it's the right time. it could be like next week or the next century, no one knows.

MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS VERY CLEARLY BECAUSE SMH STOP GIVING EVERYONE A HARD TIME JUST CAUSE YOU SUCK THNX.

\- sending you lots of hate, your high-ranking grim reaper, park chanyeol.

 


	2. DAY LILY + PURPLE HYACINTH

° LOG BOOK °

SOULS OF  
THE DECEASED.  
DECEMBER 29-30 2016

ASSIGNED TO: PARK CHANYEOL

 

11:10 PM, BUSAN CAFE HYGGE - KIM TAEHYUNG / INCOMPLETE

 

12:05 AM, BUSAN JUNGANG EXPRESSWAY- CHOI CRYSTAL / COMPLETE

 

12:06 AM, BUSAN JUNGANG EXPRESSWAY - KIM JIHO / COMPLETE

 

**_6:21 AM, BUSAN NATIONAL ROUTE 2- BYUN BAEKHYUN /INCOMPLETE_ **

 

\---

 

December 30, 2016  
9:25 AM

 

"where is he.." chanyeol grumbles beneath his breath.

he could handle probably one lost soul which was kim taehyung but  _two_ lost souls would have him receive shit from his boss and complicated mishaps on paperwork.

 

chanyeol absolutely hated collecting souls during winter.

he had to find souls and comfort them whenever they start bawling (which was all the time) all the while suffering in the harsh cold winds of winter.

 

and when there was a case of a lost soul, which was what he had right now, he had to  _find_  them.

 

he spent his sleep-deprived night and morning looking for some dude named kim taehyung but gave up after a few hours and started looking for the other lost soul; byun baekhyun.

 

he shakily types in a number, and through clattered teeth he manages to speak through the call, "s-sehun, get the l-location of byun b-baekhyun again."

 

"sure. by the way, you're missing out. we have like heaters and hot chocolate back here. also, he's like in the nearest sauna, the one like five streets away from where you're at."

 

chanyeol mutters a small 'thanks' before ending the call.

he ignored the part where the other reapers were probably eating warm food and not shivering like he was and begrudgingly trudged up the road and heads inside the sauna.

 

it was buzzing with life and the chatters of people, decorated by themes and ornaments of christmas.

 

he was actually sorta relieved from the fact it was quite warm. he looks through the area and flickers his eyes towards the picture of 'byun baekhyun' ; short, droopy eyes and blonde.

 

chanyeol immediately spots someone that closely resembles the picture he was given.

 

_finally found him._

 

he slowly walks up to the figure who was facing away from him and watching some random variety show on the television.

 

_okay. how do you approach someone._

 

_should i cough? or would that be too unfriendly? should i lightly tap his shoulder? wait he wouldn't feel it- oh god why._

 

chanyeol was admittedly the most awkward grim reaper.

 

i mean, he was so done with other grim reapers and their asses so he isn't awkward with them, just plain salty about the fact they dump and compile their workload on him.

 

and chanyeol does it anyways despite being bitter because he knows it's the right thing to do.

 

but around strangers? souls that recently passed? of course he would be a bit stiff with them. he can't just say 'hey what's up, how's your corpsie? i'm your grim grim grim reaper, chanyeol!"

 

"excuse me..." he then decides to go in front of the soul and look it directly in the eyes.

 

"are you baekhyun?"

 

baekhyun turned his head and his breath hitched when he was greeted by the sight of a tall, attractive man.

 

"not to scare you or anything but like i'm your grim reaper, chanyeol; here to collect your soul.." he spoke as if he was a worker at a department store or something.

 

"holy shit." baekhyun breathed as he checked the god of death out.

 

"you're here for me?" his eyes lit up, crinkling and he formed the softest smile chanyeol had ever seen.

 

to baekhyun, the man was absolutely his type. extremely tall with an adorable & fluffy-looking face, all with the advantages of a deep sonorous voice and veiny hands. it's not like baekhyun could touch it but it's still nice to look at, in his opinion.

 

basically, chanyeol was  _gorgeous._

 

"i guess so..." the man rubbed the back of his neck and wondered why the shorter man was so enthusiastic about being collected.

 

"oh my god sure-  _take me_." and baekhyun swore he tried not to sound thirsty.

 

\---

 

they both arrived in judgement room. a room that sorta looked like some kind of aesthetic cafe that gave off such a comforting vibe and made baekhyun feel at home.

baekhyun currently sat down, also swearing he tried not to think the way chanyeol prepared tea was sexy.

 

actually, the man didn't even make a single attempt at being subtle in terms of admiring chanyeol's beauty.

 

 _that tea isn't the only thing hot in this room,_ baekhyun wanted to say and he silently laughed to himself. he was proud at himself for coming up such an amazing pickup line.

 

chanyeol glanced at the twelve year old looking man that was... laughing by himself?

 

 _what a weird guy,_ chanyeol thought.

 

chanyeol slides the tea cup to baekhyun, who was fantasizing and drumming his fingers against the oakwood table as he rested his head against his palm.

 

"uh, please drink this." the reaper tapped the cup lightly

 

"sure," the other hums in response.

 

"drink this so you could proceed to your next life. if there's anything-"

 

"wait, what?" baekhyun paused, frowning.

 

"you will be reincarnated so this tea erases all your memories of this life so-"

 

"reincarnation?" baekhyun repeats, a desperate tone to his voice as an unsettling, uneasy feeling bubbled in him.

 

"like once i drink this, i won't remember a-anything important to me and i-i immediately have to  _go_?" baekhyun clarifies, exasperated.

 

his expression contorted into so much distressed. for goodness sake, he felt so  _hopeless._ he clenched the hem of his shirt and winces as he stared at the earl-grey-flavored-memory-washing tea.

 

"well, yeah.." chanyeol nods casually, not really noticing the starting signs of baekhyun's mental breakdown.

 

baekhyun hesitates, his hands trembling.

 

there was  _no way in hell_  he was ever going to  _willingly_  forget the best family in the world, all his friends and each and every memory he shared with everyone he met so far in life.

 

it was just too painful.

 

after a few hours of crying and accepting the agonizing fact that he died, he wanted to watch over everyone and make sure they stay safe as he roams around heaven.

 

because  _that_  was his idea of dying because that was the idea he was raised to believe.

 

but  _this_  was the afterlife?

 

he didn't even believe in reincarnation! forgetting everyone you meet to go into it? are you  _kidding_  me?

 

and baekhyun thought of something he knew he would regret.

 

he threw the hot beverage onto chanyeol's face out of panic in which the reaper recoils and curses at the burning sensation.

 

"I'M SORRY! you're super hot and like absolutely my type and i want you to know that i'd smash you any day but no!" baekhyun rambles before he runs the fuck out of judgement room.


	3. LOTUS + XERANTHEMUM

chapter two:  
lotus + xeranthemum

 

—

 

_'isn't it horrifying? to stay in the same place every single day and never leave. it's like you're trapped and while everyone goes on with their lives, he stays the same, living his life as if it were a broken record!-'_

chanyeol wakes up in a cold sweat, his body jittering and lingering with panic as hurriedly tossing the sheets back to sit up.

 

he hears the loud beat of his own heart in his ears as he took in deep brearhs, sweat running down the side of his cheek.

 

he gripped his bedsheets and though his hands shivered, he tried to rub it over his chest to calm himself down, hoping the unknown source of anxiety, would dissipate.

 

_what was that?_

 

he flickered his eyes to his alarm clock, blinking '3:56 AM' in red. annoyed, he throws his head back and rolls back into lying down, huffing in disbelief.

 

_4 minutes of more sleep wouldn't hurt._

 

too bad in the span of those very four minutes, he ends tossing and turning which meant he ends up not sleeping, much to his distress.

 

wow, did chanyeol hate feeling anxiety crawl their way under his skin. truth be told, chanyeol hated feelings in general.

 

 _feelings_ run decisions, words, the very cluster of hearts and sea of souls.

 

more importantly and on a less poetic note, they also run chanyeol's sleep schedule which is reason it's never questionable why the man despised it.

 

he could have used the remaining 3-4 minutes sleeping but  _no._ his heart still wouldn't settle nor rest due to whatever the quiznack he was feeling.

 

he lets out a string of curses when he realizes it was 4:03 and begrudgingly heads to the bathroom to prepare himself for the day, hoping the terrible, uneasy feeling that clung onto him would go fuck itself.

 

\--

  
9:08 P.M.

 

chanyeol flopped down on the department store's couch, carelessly throwing away the 'do not sit down' sign.

 

could you blame him? he was exhausted from the lack of sleep he's been getting. if he has to sleep in a furniture store, so be it.

 

his day was hectic, the list of souls longer than usual and not to mention the headaches that constantly reappeared throughout the day. a good rest sounded like euphoria to him.

 

but life sucks and never bothered to make it subtle that it hates chanyeol so his phone obnoxiously rings. he sighs, answering in a dead tone, "what."

 

"hey chanyeol. yanno that one lost soul named byun baekhyun? i found his location, he's literally on the rooftop of the building you're in."

 

chanyeol's ears perked up at that.

 

_byun baekhyun._

 

oh how could chanyeol ever think to forget a lovely encounter with the only goddamn soul that had the audacity to throw hot tea in his face and run away.

 

yeah all the while calling ogling at chanyeol and calling him hot and it was quite flattering but  _still_ , chanyeol was still absolutely offended.

 

maybe it was against the rules but he wanted to assign this  _byun_ one to someone else as he was not going to risk another non-metaphorical tea spilling.

 

he was about to tell sehun he wasn't going to deal with some weirdo but the words bubble in his throat when a sudden pain pulsed and ached throughout his head.

 

"fuck." he groaned, taking in sharp breaths as he rubbed his forehead, in a pretty much futile attempt to ease the pain.

 

"dude, you okay?"

 

_'dude, you okay? we literally met yesterday, how could you forget!' the stranger scoffs, scandalized._

 

_'i-i... who are you?' chanyeol frowns, eyes curiously gazing upon the stranger's unimpressed eyes, who by the way, seemed absolutely crazy to chanyeol._

 

_'we literally met yesterday at the grocery store, remember? and then you asked me out? to that carnival nearby?' the stranger, raises a brow and chanyeol couldn't get any more confused._

 

_'i'm sorry sir but you must've mistaken me for someone else because i really don't remember meeting you anywhere!" chanyeol sighed, exasperated._

 

_yes, it seemed he would come off as rude, which deviated from his true personality to those who knew him but he hoped it would stop the stranger from being so persistent because frankly, it made him uncomfortable._

 

_the stranger looked away as well. it was quiet for a few moments, chanyeol awkwardly taking sips from his coke as the other almost seemed to give up._

 

_the stranger suddenly gasped loudly and slowly turns his head to chanyeol, as if remembering something with extreme significance._

 

_he stares at chanyeol dead in the eye and yells, 'we made out!'_

 

_chanyeol chokes on his coke, 'what the fuck!'_

  
chanyeol was taken aback, his mind feeling practically disoriented as it was hazed with utter confusion.

 

one, he couldn't even see who he was talking to or what they looked like and two, the scene in general made chanyeol confused as he couldn't really make any sense out of it. he-

 

"yeol-ah! you there?" sehun's concerned voice snaps him out his daze.

 

"o-oh, i- yeah.. sehun?"

 

"yeah?"

 

oh god.

 

chanyeol gulped and took in a deep breath, "w-when you remember your past life.. you don't see it from your eyes right?"

 

"yeah man, i mean they taught us this in death ed. you don't have memories so when you get like these flashbacks, you see it through a diety's eyes, not yours- hold on... why are you asking? you having one of those?"

 

"i-" he hesitates.

 

should he tell sehun he's been getting tidbits of his memories back? because if sehun was to ever, well,  _snitch_ , who knows what the council would do to him.

 

it was nothing personal but chanyeol had trust issues. thus, chanyeol chose to lie and respond with a quiet, "no i'm-"

 

and there it was again. with no time to prepare, it hit chanyeol like a damn blizzard out of nowhere, rendering him immobile.

 

the phone in his hands slip and his knees shakily falls to the ground and he fists strands of his hair, heavily panting.

 

"chanyeol? what's wrong!?"

 

he could do nothing but cry out in pain and watch what curse the diety would lay upon him this time.

 

_yoora hurriedly presses the off button, shutting the tv. she turns to look at him and with the most gentle voice she could ever have, she calls out, "chanyeol..?"_

 

_he was wrapped and cradled in soft, warm blankets. yoora saw the way his lips wobbled and hands quiver as he broke out into soft sobs and it broke her heart._

 

_she knew how much this movie affected him and whenever chanyeol insisted and begged to watch it with her, yoora had no idea how to comfort him each time it escalated to him breaking down and start crying until his frame shook and he could no longer breathe._

 

_"i... have-" he pauses, eyes shut close with dread and ache, "h-have that too, don't i?"_

 

_yoora bit her lip and nodded, a few tears escaping. chanyeol looks up at her wearily, scared and helpless but meaning every single word, he croaked, "i'm sorry."_

 

_"it's not your fault!" yoora quickly wipes off her tears and hugged him tightly, shutting off the movie, 50 first dates._

 

chanyeol swore the floor beneath him swayed. his throat felt like it was clogged up and feeling was so damn sickening, the air around him seemed it started to run out.

 

he felt like vomiting.


	4. AMARANTH + SWEET PEA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> not italicised but it covers chanyeol's past yeet!!
> 
> (deleted before due to wrong arrangement of chapters so i apologise for any confusion !!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: triggering mentions of suicide n mental illnesses.

**_"as punished for taking their own life, souls are sentenced to serve as grim reapers, without any memory of their past life- that is, unless, revoked by the will of a god."_ **

 

 

"mom, look! a rocket!" a chubby, seven year old chanyeol points to window where a line of puffed, white smoke trailed across the sky. he was stretching his arm so far, he almost tumbles.

 

his mom chuckled, "i think that's just a jet, sweetie."

 

"oh." he deadpans but quickly shifts back into his usual grin, "mom, look! a jet!"

 

breaking into a laugh of pure endearment, she ruffles her son's hair, swearing to engrave the very image in front of her so she could remember it every single day; chanyeol, eyes twinkling in excitement and his hand cradled in her own.

 

"you wanna be pilot someday?" she asks, her hand never leaving her chanyeol's head, stroking his locks.

 

"yeah! but not just for planes'n jets! i'll pilot voltron where you have space suits and lions and boosh!" chanyeol's hands flew about and he imitated the loud, explosion sounds from the show he loved but he was cut off when the door swings open.

 

an aged woman angrily whips her head to the young boy, "chanyeol! stop screaming and let your mother rest or else i'll stop bringing you here to-"

 

she cuts her off sharply, "excuse me?"

 

"what in the actual hell do you think you have the right to shout at my son? i barely see him these days and you will  _not_ deprive him or me of the time we have together."

 

chanyeol tones out their argument looks down at his sketchers, shame bubbling in his stomach. was he bothering his mom that much? all he could think of was that he was the sole reason why his mom got upset at his grandma.

 

"i'm sorry, mom. i'll go home with grandma for now. 'm really super sleepy," he lies in a soft voice, awkwardly and forcibly yawning and stretching his arms.

 

"he has school, anyway. he'll see you tomorrow."

 

and his grandma pulled at his arm so quickly he didn't have the chance to give his mom a goodnight kiss and hug.

 

oh how room 308 was an unforgettable place in chanyeol's bittersweet, childhood memories.

\-------

  
chanyeol takes a deep breath and shakily taps his spoon against his glass. "um- hi? i have an important announcement to make and i hope it doesn't..  _change_  the way you think of me."

 

"go ahead, sweetpea."

 

"oh dear. if it's about you not getting accepted into that college you wanted, that's okay! nobody's pressuring you, yeol-"

 

"i'm gay."

 

the entire family chokes and his sister laughs hysterically.

 

\------

 

"i'm park chanyeol and you're watching VRNC news," and chanyeol swore he could already hear the company's short, tacky theme song playing.

 

chanyeol made sure to tell everyone how great they worked today before leaving the studio to go straight to the break room, tiredly slumping back on some chair as soon as he got there to sleep.

 

he didn't know if it ten minutes passed or an hour he was sleeping like this; uncomfortable and sore.

 

he woke up to someone poking and he groaned, slowly opening his eyes to see what in the hell was bothering him only to be greeted by his sister, yoora.

 

"i really do question the choice of your weird sleeping positions. get up now and sleep on the couch, at least."

 

"too far."

 

"chanyeol, it's literally on the other side of the room."

 

chanyeol went back to closing his eyes and simply pointed out, "people have done heterosexual deeds on that couch so no way in hell am i to spread germs all over myself."

 

knowing him well enough to see from a mile away that chanyeol was exhausted, yoora sighed. "rough day, huh?"

 

"i'm so stressed and gay."

 

"didn't you say your sexuality didn't define you as a whole?" she snorts, raising a brow as she took a sip of her coffee.

 

he shrugs, "still stressed and gay."

 

a faint yet audible, passing sound came from above and chanyeol lazily points at the window, "look, yoora. it's a jet..." he drawls.

 

yoora pursed her lips and put down her coffee. she strides over to him to pulled at his cheek.

 

he grumbles under his breath and gently swats her hand away, "i'm not a kid anymore, yoora."

 

"i'll stop treating you like one if you stop moping over planes and crying over the legend of aang and korra and that one robot show."

 

chanyeol gasped, scandalized. he crosses his arms and reasons out, "first of all, it's called voltron and the shows you mentioned are all have an extraordinarily good plot and great character development to make me cry."

 

and there was beats of silence and yoora spoke up the words he always told himself.

 

"you should've become a pilot, you know- like you wanted to." yoora points out, eyeing her brother knowingly.

 

yeah, it was his dream, after all and trust me, chanyeol had every capability to become one but if only he just had a little more money then maybe everything would've been different and a little happier.

 

chanyeol snorts, "i know."

 

\------

 

"shakira, shakira." chanyeol lowly hummed, drumming his fingers against the wheel as he listened to 'hips don't lie'.

 

he was on his way to pick up yoora on what he called, her  _stupid ass date in which the guy wasn't even attractive enough to EXIST in a 5 meter radius from her._

 

his brotherly instinct kicked in as he wondered when yoora was even remotely interested in dating people that wasn't even in her league! what is this, a charity case?

 

chanyeol scoffs. no one was ever going to be good enough to date yoora, he thinks.

 

and that was when, chanyeol, too distracted to see the truck and too shocked, feeling as if glued to his seat as its horn loudly blared and speedily headed straight towards his car.

 

chanyeol felt all the nerves thundering his heart and he hurriedly fumbled with the buckle of his seatbelt but it was too late.

 

and everything went black.

 

\-----

 

"-- traumatic brain injury is the primary cause of anterograde amnesia. it means his brain can't handle making any new memories after the incident, i'm so sorry, miss."

 

"so what can we do about it?!" she frantically asked, jumping out of her seat and almost gripping the doctor's collar but she was immediately held back by her relatives.

 

she was panting, hands quivering in distress and  _fear_ and she didn't know what to do anymore.

 

"yoora, calm down, he's going to be okay."

 

she snaps, " _calm down?!_ weren't you fucking listening? chanyeol's hasn't woken up yet and it's been weeks and he has some sort of amnesia and it's..  _it's my fault-_ " she choked on her own tears, fearful, regretful sobs gushing out of her.

 

"yoora, please," they begged.

 

she hesitantly dropped her arms to her side. she couldn't fight anyone, it wasn't anyone but hers, she thought. and she thought herself as shameless for even facing chanyeol because if it weren't for her, chanyeol would've been awake.

 

helpless and without restraint, she bawled, cried and blamed herself for the months that flew by, remembering the disappointment that would be found in her if her brother were to see her like this.

 

\---

 

"hey mr. park! how are you?"

 

the air scented of medical supplies and alcohol. his vision, initially blurred, slowly started to make out of things.

 

chanyeol frowned at the unfamiliar closet near him and he looked down in confusion when he was dressed in a hospital robe and his arms was covered with tapes and bandages.

 

and there it came, a wave of pain passing through his head. he tried to sit up as he raised his fingertips to touch it but he felt a bandage wrapped around his head as well.

 

_where am i?_

 

"please lay down, sir." the nurse gentle placed his hand at chanyeol's chest and back but chanyeol felt like panicking.

 

why was he at the hospital? where was yoora? was yoora okay-

 

his concerns vanished like fire as soon the door swung open and yoora came i to view. her chest heaved as she panted, breathless but nonetheless, her eyes welled up with tears, "chanyeol! you're awake!"

 

he weakly attempted to hug her back and smiled. she cupped his cheeks and started crying even more.

 

"i'm so glad you're okay..."

 

 

\---

  
chanyeol couldn't remember a thing. he wakes up to a room with vibrant walls and light golden rays of sun beaming in.

 

the unfamiliar room seemed out of place, as if it was too happy for it's own good and he felt as if something was wrong. he looked down and thought,  _are these even my clothes?_

 

chanyeol doesn't remember having them.

 

his legs wobbled as he made his way out the door. his brows were knitted in confusion as the sight in front of him were people ranging from different ages but most of them were old, in wheelchairs and had

bandages wrapped around their head.

 

"excuse me-" he taps the shoulder of an eldered man passing by, "what is this place?"

 

"jesus, kid. you asked that for the past two days already," the man sighs and firmly looks at him straight in the eye, "it's a center for the mentally ill."

 

he blanched, "what?"

 

"chanyeol.."

 

_yoora._

 

"yoora!" he breathes, smiling in relief and grasps her shoulders, laughing in bitter incredulity, "i think they've made a mistake, i'm not  _crazy,_ tell them i need to get out of here, that-"

 

"chanyeol.. n-no. you have to be here."

 

he paled once more, "why?"

 

"i-i can't.."

 

"tell me why, please! i want to understand," he croaked.

 

"chanyeol." yoora bit her lip warily. no matter how much times she would see her brother disappointed to the point he broke down, it would always hurt her to say it.

 

she gulped heavily, "you had an accident."

 

_"what?"_

 

"and the thing is," she choked down every single sob waiting to come out and with a voice that held thousands of--  _i'm sorry, you didn't deserve this_ that came barely above a whisper,"the day you went to pick me up.. it- a truck was out of control and-"

 

"you... you have a  _different_  type of amnesia, yeol. you f-forget every single day that happens and the only memories you'll ever have.. are the ones before the accident- a-and i'm so sorry-"

"so i won't even remember this conversation tomorrow?" he asks in a broken whisper and yoora nods.

 

chanyeol's stomach dropped and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears with anxiety. he felt like he was going to be sick, felt the room suddenly felt like it was growing smaller and smaller every second that passed.

 

he began to tremble as his eyes welled up uncontrollably. his voice became despearate and helpless, "so, what? my entire life's some kind of broken record?"

 

 _no._  that type of life where he would be oblivious to everything and everyone, a life where it practically already stopped, a life that felt like being trapped and chanyeol just-

 

"yoora.. i-i can't live life like this-"

 

"i won't," chanyeol shakily swallows, eyes heavy with tears and helpless fury.

 

 

**_"as punishment for taking their own life, souls are sentenced to serve as grim reapers without any memory of their past life- that is, unless, revoked by the will of a god."_ **


	5. NIGELLA + CARNATION

three :  
nigella + carnation

 

\---

 

baekhyun found frolicking around boring as it progressed. he feels as if his soul has already walked the entire south korea by now, which is an exaggeration but he can't help but feel bored.

 

sure, he's made fellow friends that were lost souls but they were so lame to be with at times.

 

so, he settled in wandering around, talking to himself.

 

he looks down with thought. should he go to that judgement room? he supposes it was better if he would be reincarnated and have the possibility of being president- or grass.

 

he's said goodbye, hugged and cried to every single person he's found special in his life but would he continue to just walk around and do nothing? 

 

he would watch over everyone he knew but he realized, they had their own lives- lives that would never forget him, sure, but lives that baekhyun no longer played any part in.

 

maybe it _was_ his time.

 

he looks at the view of seoul for one last time as the sun dips back in the sky, soon drawing the moons, the stars and the dark blue sky it had as a blanket, for the last time in his lifetime. 

 

he dragged himself with a heavy heart despite the anxiety simmering with every step he took. 

 

his chest heaved and though he was anything but ready, he heads down and starts heading off to judgement room.

 

  
\---

 

 

"i'm ready to be reincarnated!" he bursts through the walls with a shout.

 

his eyes were screwed shut for a few moments until he realized there was still no response and slowly flutters them open.

 

he scans his eyes around the room. there was no one around and he almost let out a strangled noise of relief.

 

"byun baekhyun?"

 

baekhyun screams.

 

"w-woah, calm down!" chanyeol extends his arms in attempt to defend himself from who knows what.

 

baekhyun blinks at him and chokes disbelievingly, "you startled me!"

 

" _i_ startled you?!"

 

baekhyun opened his mouth to answer but then closed it again, "okay, fine- i'm sorry."

  
chanyeol sighs, "it's alright." he reluctantly offers a polite smile and motions baekhyun to sit on the chair.

as he sits himself down and as chanyeol walks to the table where baekhyun remembers he makes the earl-grey-memory-erasing-tea, for a few moments, baekhyun's taken back to the very first time he's been in this room.

ah, baekhyun remembers their romantic encounter. actually, maybe to chanyeol, he seemed like a lunatic but baekhyun still thought it was romantic how they made a _connection_ without even interacting that much!

 

"anyway, you said you were ready to go? are you sure you won't throw the hot tea at me like last time?" chanyeol raises a brow, teasingly retracting back the tray in his hands.

 

baekhyun snaps out of his daze and flushed, "yeah."

 

chanyeol smiles at him again and honestly, can this man ever stop being handsome as he is? baekhyun shake off the thirst thoughts and clears his throat and asks, "can i make a request though?"

 

"uh sure?"

_oh god why did i say that, i have nothing prepared. wait, what if i asked him to make out with me, as like, my dying-already-dead wish? does that work?_

 

chanyeol tilts his head curiously like some _cute beagle, honestly, who does he think he is?_ he looks at baekhyun expectantly and the latter gets pressured so he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind, "talk to me."

 

"oh... about what-"

 

"anything, just- just talk. i figured if i can't ever talk to the people i love now since i'm dead then might as well talk to someone that can actually hear me! i hope that's alright.." baekhyun trails off, hopeful that it works but a little scared at the prospect chanyeol says no.

 

"that's okay, i mean there's nothing wrong with it right? unless we talk about something weird, in which case i hope not to since-"

 

"no, no! don't worry, i'll keep it friendly, i swear! i may look thirsty but i just really wanted to talk to someone before i left, and yeah..." baekhyun fidgets and courses his fingers through his hair in embarassment, "thank you, chanyeol."

"no problem dud-"

"i am literally kinda gay for you, do _not_ call me 'dude'!"

 

\----

 

after hours of 20 questions evolving into about hundred, baekhyun learned about chanyeol's past life and teared up, then cried, wailing how chanyeol deserved all the love in the world.

  
chanyeol also learned a lot about the former, about his family, his worst high school moments and a lot more of the life byun baekhyun had. however, no matter how the warm atmosphere the room had lingered, the heavy truth weighed.

  
it was time.

  
baekhyun was about to leave.

well, not before having a conversation right in front of the very door that could either reincarnate or obliterate him with the adorable grim reaper he's a little bit smitten with.

"well what about you? didn't you say grim reapers weren't even supposed to have their memories back? what's gonna happen to you then?"

 

chanyeol hums thoughtfully, "well, from the very few grim reapers i've met that had their memories back, i think it means your soul is forgiven?"

 

when baekhyun sent him a questioning look, chanyeol continues, "i'm not sure what it means, actually. but when they did, they left earlier than the rest to be reincarnated so yeah."

 

"so we're gonna be both reincarnated in probably meet in the same lifetime?" baekhyun asked cheekily, not bothering to hide the excitement in his tone.

 

chanyeol shrugs, "maybe?"

 

 

 

"would you... take me on a date, then?"

 

"yes!" chanyeol replies too soon and flushes in embarassment, "i mean-"

 

and baekhyun, bursts into a genuine laugh, high and ringing with endearment, a kind of laugh he hasn't had in a long while.

 

chanyeol tried not to stare at him for a few moments and have himself bewitched by the way baekhyun laughed with so much- _life._

  
chanyeol immediately throws all those thoughts out the window and says instead, "frick you, man! you- you can't just get me all _flustered_ and laugh about it like it's nothing-!"

"you wouldn't want me to?" the other teased

"no! i mean _yes-_ i would absolutely love that if you're still... around the same age as me? i don't wanna be born while you're an old man or me, a human and you, an ant i would step on or even worse-"

baekhyun raises a hand and it pauses chanyeol's rambling and offers, "straight?"

"exactly!" chanyeol gasps, scandalized.

they both nod in agreement, like the two strange gays they were.

  
"well.." baekhyun stops mid- way before breaking out into a grin that chanyeol would probably never be able to see again and softly laughs, "let's meet until then."

  
he grasps the knob and the door opens. the light yhat immerses him in was a soft, warm glow of white and just like that, baekhyun had disappeared.

and chanyeol sighed and sat down. he was finally, truly alone. however it wasn't like before. he knew he would meet baekhyun again and that alone kept the god of death going. call him the cheesiest person alive but he felt that yes, he was alone but he wasn't _lonely_ , per se.

perhaps they would meet again at a coffee shop, start off as enemies or rivals in high school, or even meet as cows, no one really knows.

for their souls were once estranged whether from this world or from themselves but in the end, it would both take shape in a different life and form once more and remain entangled.

because in their ephemeral meeting, fate was tied and it was bound to go beyond the boundary of probability and having the same, fluttering wonder of the possibility of love and all the enchantment it draws beneath it.

\--


	6. BLUE VIOLETS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EPILOGUE.

plane rides, shadowing both low and high tides beneath the sun's moods and through shades of blue.

"ladies and gentleman, this is captain park speaking and i'd like to welcome you all on-board rocher pacific, flight from seoul to manila, philippines. flight duration would be around three hours and forty-five minutes. again, thank you for choosing to fly with us this evening and i hope you enjoy your flight!"

chanyeol, for some reason, was always way too giddy giving his usual intro before the take-off, prompting his co-pilot, baekhyun to roll his eyes.

baekhyun knew chanyeol since the latter had a ferret phase and chanyeol was known for having an odd love for planes even back then.

baekhyun honestly expected him to grow out of it.

but,  _no._ chanyeol just had to have the biggest heart and be happy about everything, including repeating the same speech every flight.

and that just  _had_ to be so endearingly adorable to the point baekhyun's vile heart couldn't take it.

baekhyun pauses. wait a minute, he was  _mad_ earlier. he cursed himself for getting distracted by chanyeol  _again._

the plane takes off and the airport was still in view when baekhyun swiftly turns to him.

"so," he starts, bitterness embedded in his tone, "your ex is apparently on-board."

chanyeol pretends to think and he teasingly hummed. "how'd you know that, dear?"

"oh so you  _knew,_ wowokay." baekhyun snorts. chanyeol didn't know, actually, that his ex was here but he decided to play along and relish every facial expression baekhyun made, despite most of it being that of disgust.

"well, if you're so curious, we passed by each other and she said hi, giving me her usual lunatic of a smile and asked how you were!" baekhyun's eye twitches as he scoffs in utter disbelief, "i honestly admire the  _nerve_  of that woman!"

baekhyun continues to ramble, "so i said you're much better now that you realized that you're gay and you have feelings for me."

"then, she goes on and congratulates me for 'winning' you, then i said there wasn't even a race,  _cunt_ and even if it was, i already had the prize the entire time and her face was-" baekhyun laughs with triumph, "-priceless!"

chanyeol raised a brow, amused. baekhyun rarely showed any sign of jealousy even when their other friends were the most weirdly affectionate gays in the entire planet.

"you know-"

"are you going to ask me to befriend her and sing kumbaya? if you do, i'm ejecting your seat off the pacific ocean."

"i was going to say that there isn't any need need to be jealous,  _aein_. you know i love you." chanyeol reaches out to hold baekhyun's hand into his ownand intertwine their fingers.

"m'not!" baekhyun huffed, "and  _aein?_ that's so cheesy, i literally don't even know why i'm still with you." he mutters.

"you jumped me in the bathroom, remember? then we made out, attended the mile high club, got engaged-"

"i did not  _jump_ you."

"sure you didn't, babe."

"park chanyeol, i will cut you!-"

for some reason, chanyeol felt like nothing else could go wrong, his life was pieced together in so many right ways and everything was meticulously, elegantly in its place.

especially with the soul entangled with his, high up in the air with the ever-changing skies that bloomed in different hues.

 

 

 

 

THE END。

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AEIN : sweetheart.


	7. LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS / REFERENCE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise behind the meaning of the chapter titles. <3

YELLOW ZINNIA :  
daily remembrance

PURPLE HYACINTH :  
"I'm sorry"

DAY LILY :  
Coquetry (flirtatious)

LOTUS :  
Mystery,  
forgetful of the past

XERANTHEMUM (the immortal flowers)  
: Unfading remembrance

AMARATH  
: Unchangeable

SWEET PEA :  
Departure / goodbye.

NIGELLA :  
"Kiss me twice before I rise."

CARNATION :  
Finding love that is not purely between physical attraction.

BLUE VIOLETS :  
I return to you.

 

**Author's Note:**

> kudos n comments are appreciated uwu <3


End file.
